Sectional outlet-box for electric conduits or wires.



L. L'YOUNG. sEcuoNAL OUTLET aux Fonmcmw comme 0R wmss.

'APPLCTION FlLEDlU-HEL1915- l 1,205,589.. Patented Novn 2l, 1916.

v 2 SHEETS-SHEET l 1. YQLHWIGa SESTONL OUTLET BOX FOR ELECTRIC CONDUITE 0R WIRES APPLICATION mw )uns 7. 1915.

1752565589, Patented Nov., 21,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' UNTTED" sTATEs PATENT oEErcE.

LESTER YOUNG, OF'OSWEGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ALLSTEELEQUIP COMPANY, 0F AURORA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

Application led J une 7, 1915. Serial No. 32,488.

Be it known that I, LESTER J. YOUNG, a citizen of the United States, anda. resident of Oswego, county of Kendall,and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sectional Outlet- Boxes for Electric Conduits or Wires, of which the following is a specilication.

My invention relates to outlet boxes for provision ot' a sectional outlet box that is so constructed that, by releasing the locking means, the saine may be opened and the unlocked units thereof swung around so asto be removed or in order that accessv may Abe readily had to the interior.

Still another Vobject of my 'invention is the provision of a novel bracket member whereby the box may be readily mounted in the wall` or `other suitable structure.

Other objects of my invention are the provisionotl a sectional outlet box that-vis easy to both assemble and knockdown, -is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture,

Y and is e'ective in its operation.

I prefer to accomplish these and other ob) ects of my invention by the means and in the manner-hereinafter fully described and as more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,wherein similar reference characters indicate the same 'elements throughout the various figures.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved sectional outlet box, shown assembled with three units. Fig. 2 is-a plan of one of the sectional units. Fig. 3 is a .side elevation of the sectional unit shown in Fig. 2. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views of my sectional outlet box, showing the same in closed and openedpositions for the purpose of illustrating the manner of disengaging the interlocking means, said figure being drawn to an exaggerated scale. Fig. 6 is a front elevation ot the slide and pintle used in connection with the inter- 'locking portion.

Fig. 7 is a side view thereof. Fig. 8 is a plan thereof.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that my outlet box is substantially rectangular 1n shape and hollow, and comprises a plurality of units consisting of correspondingly shaped intermediate vunits of substantially U-shape and substantially flat rectangular end units. The intermediate unit consists of a substantially U-shapedu plate, the connecting member` 1Q of which provides avsuitable rear wall xandthe parallel arms or vertical me1nbers"11`,\ arising from each of the end edges of member 10, provide the top and bottom walls of the outlet box. Suitable scores 12, are made in the walls of the box of a substantially circular form, the arc described by said circle being incomplete so as to form a short neck 13 whereby the said portion inclosed within the score is retained iii position until re? moved by tapping it out with a hammer or by other means. This will provide the desertion of the conduits or wires.

The vertical edges of the members 11 are provided with suitable outwardly bent knuckles 14 upon one edge, which, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, are formed by bending the metal laterally to form a loop and pressing the inner edge 15 tightly against the adjacent edge of the member 11. Horizontally opposite this knuckle and cut into the edge'of member 11, is a shallow elongated recess 16 of a width substantially corresponding with the thickness of the metal forming the member 11 .so that, when the adjacent section or unitis fitted against the same, the portion 15 of the knuckle will seat flush in said recess 1G as clearly shown in Fig. 4. Below the recess 16 aknuckle 17 formed substantially in the same manner as the knuckle 14 heretofore described and horizontally opposite said .knuckle 17 and below the knuckle 14 is an elongated recess 18 corresponding in shape with the recess 16 and adapted to interlit or interlock with a knuckle 17 on the adjacent sectionalunit.

When several intermediate units are assembled side by side, to form a box of large dimensions as illustrated in Fig. 1,' the sired openings in the outlet box 'for the inllO knuckle 14 of the one unit will register with and be in axial aliuement with the knuckle 1T ofthe adjacent unit so that a suitable pintle 1S) may be inserted therein to lock the sections or units together. This pintle 19 preferably comprises a suitable length of wire or the like, which after passing through the 'knuckles 14 and 17, is bent vlaterally outwardly to form lateral loop brackets 20 and is then bent upwardly and then downwardly to form an elongated vertical loop 21, the space .22 between the parallel meinbcrs of the loop forming a gnideway or slot in which a suitable set screw 23 is inserted and which is prevented from leaving lthe said slot by means of the inturned end 2l of the wire forming said loop and pintle. The tightening of this set screw '23 will securely lock the pintle in position.

The end edges of the parallel members 11 lof the intermediate units are provided with laterally disposed screw lugs 25 whereby a switch or the like may be secured to the box. The end units preferably comprise plates 2G for closing the ends of the box afte assembly, and said end units are provided on their end edges with knuckles 27 and 2S corresponding with the knuckles 1l and 1T heretofore mentioned and are likewise provided with recesses Q5) and 30, respectively below and above knuckles 14: and 1T, in which portions of the adjacent knuckles are adapted to intertit. l

When a box of ordinary dimensions :is desired, one intermediate U-shaped unit and two end units are provided and interlocked with each other in the manner set forth. In the event a larger box'is desired more of the intermediate units may be assembled together with the two end units, closing the ends thereof. In installing the box the'loop brackets 20 are employed as screw-lugs whereby the box is attached to the framework of the building and when secured in position the pintles are thus prevented from being withdrawn.

After assembly, when it is desired to open the outlet box to add another unit or for other purposes, all that it is necessary to do is to loosen one of the screws 23 and move the respective slide until the end of the pintle forming a part thereof, disengages the knuckle 14 whereupon one or more units of the outlet box may be swung laterally upon the pintle at the opposite meeting edges of the units until the edge 15 has disengaged its respective recess whereupon the units thathave been swung around may be lifted off the pint-lc and the box is opened so that the units may be readily assembled or disassembled. lt will be observed that if through accident or error frA pintle should fall or gravitate out of one of its knuckles, the box will not become disassembled until the edge 15 on the opposite side has been disengaged from its respective recess.

While I have illustrated and described herein certain specific means for carrying out my invention, it, ofcourse, will be obvious, to others skilled in the art to which it pertains, that numerous modifications or refinements thereof are possible without materially departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore desire it understood that all such changes are contemplated within the scope of my invention as expressed in the appended claims. l

What I claim is l. A sectional outlet-box comprising a plurality of units, interlocking means provided upon their adjoining edges, a plurality of pintles, one being carried by each respective unit. each of which pintles engages the interlocking means of the unit adjacent that upon which it is carried, and means for locking each pintle to its respective unit.

2. A sectional outlet-box comprising a plurality ot' substantially U-shaped units the edges of the parallel members whereof are provided with knuckles that are adapted to register with corresponding knuckles upon the 'abutting units, a pintle engaging said l registering knuckles and comprising a length of wire a portion whereof is bent back upon itself to provide a guide\\'ay,` and a locking member the shank whereof enters said guideway.

3. A sectional outlet-box ycomprising a plurality of units, knuckles on the abutting edges of each of said units adapted to registcr with each other, and locking means for said knuckles comprising a length of wire, a portion whereof provides a pintlev for said knuckles and the remaining portion whereof is bent laterally to provide 'a mounting bracket for said box.

4. An outlet-box comprising one or more. U-shaped units, substantially fiat end plates therefor. the abutting edges of said units and end plates being recessed. knuckles adjacent to and adapted to lit. said recesses, and a pintle engaging said knuckles, a portion of said pintle bent laterally to provide a bracket wberebjv said box is mounted in position.A y i Signed at Oswego, county of Kendall and State of illinois7 this QSth day of May 1915.

LESTER ,.T. YOUNG.

ll'i tnesses: i'

Cnannns Snoonn, H. Voss. 

